How to set Front Wheel Alignment / Tracking ?

[Guest mkelite]

in my long winded quest to get our Excel back on the road................ does anyone actually set their own front wheel tracking / alignment accurately please? got to put new gaiters on, etc. have asked local tyre shops recently but get the same wont touch an old Lotus with a bargepole attitude. not rocket science is it really? any advice please? ta. DC.

[andydclements]

You would have been welcome to borrow mine, but Owen has just done so, and I think it may be a bit too far.

To do a rough (but good enough for a few thousand miles) set, use two pieces of straight wood or angle metal (doesn't need much strength) that are approx 30-40 inches long. Secure them to the wheels, touching the tyres both front and rear of the front wheels. mark a point on each that's as close to the wheel as you can get, while getting a tape measure that reaches to the other side of the car to it. Now mark a point 15inches (the size of the rims) in front of the first pair of marks.

Measure the distance between the metal at the marks near the wheel, measure the distance between the metal at the forward pair of mark. Subtract the first from the second. That is your toe-in. If the result is a negative figure, then you have toe out.

If you are confident there's nothing wrong with the current alignment, mark a point on the track rod end and a corresponding mark on each arm, count the number of turns to take each off, put them back on using that same number of turns, and the marks will align when you're at the right point.

Edited April 24, 2010 by andydclements

[eclat22]

Hi David, I sent you an email with tracking info, hope you got it

Dan

[Guest mkelite]

Hi Dan. thanks very much for those. emailed u too. good luck with that diff then! best regards. DC.

[Kronos1664]

Hi, Does anyone know what the toe in value should be for the excel, is the same for all excel models as i seem to remember i read it was different post and pre 1989 but i can't find that info now. thanks

[andydclements]

My manual states 3.2mm total + 0 , -1.6, no mention of post '89 change.

[Elite7]

go to a wheel alignment centre and let them do it for you. does it really make sense to safe 60,-pound to get a job done properly?

[Iconic Ride]

Ax, reread post #1's "bargepole attitude" comment.

[andydclements]

Peter, if it's not urgent then just pop it round to mine (even one evening before Larling).

[Kronos1664]

Andy,

i could pop round on mon before larling if you let me know where you are and its convenient for you? thanks

[andydclements]

Today we found the '89 onwards settings also.

The 3.2mm total + 0 , -1.6, is from section TDC (technical data) and gives camber and Caster there also.

Within the Front Suspension section (HA?) it gives the toe-in values as above but also '89 onwards are 0 to 2mm toe in.